Visiting Us

Visitors are an important part of the recovery process and are welcome at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. We ask that all visitors abide by the hospital’s rules, regulations and visitation policy.

A maximum of two visitors per patient are allowed at the patient’s bedside at any time. This is to ensure that your loved one gets the required rest and other patients are not disturbed. However, if there is an infection on the ward, patients may be restricted to one visitor at a time.

Medical and Surgical Wards

Intensive Care Units (MICU and SICU)

Recovery Room

11:00 A.M – 11:30 A.M,
4:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M & 5:30 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.

High Dependency Unit (HDU)

12:00 P.M. – 1:00 P.M & 4:30 P.M. – 6:00 P.M.

Why we have visiting hours

Rest is important for recovery, so please respect these visiting hours and show consideration towards other patients during your visit. If your relative or friend has been admitted to hospital in an emergency, is critically ill, or if you are unable to visit during these hours, accommodation can be made for visiting. Please ask a nurse on the ward for more information.

Please note:

Relatives/visitors may be asked to assist patients with their meals to insure adequate nutrition.

Visiting times may be shortened to protect the welfare and privacy of all patients. If this is the case, you will be informed.

Visitors

We encourage patients to stay in touch with relatives directly to keep them updated as phoning the ward can distract nurses and doctors from providing care to the patients. If this is not possible we ask that you nominate one member of the family to act as a liaison with the ward. In the interest of respecting patient confidentiality, we are unfortunately only able to give very limited information over the telephone.

The patients in the ICUs, Recovery Room and HDU are very ill. We need to ensure that these patients get the rest they need, and other patients are not disturbed. Research shows that limiting the visitation hours in these areas will allow patients to get more rest and to recover more quickly.

Up to two visitors are allowed per patient at any one time. This is to ensure that our patients get the rest they need and other patients are not disturbed. However, if there is an infection on the ward, we may restrict this to one visitor per patient.

We understand that you may want to find out how your friend or relative is doing. There are many ways you can keep in contact, such as calling the ward, calling your friend or relative directly or writing a letter.

To be a strong advocate, you must be knowledgeable about your loved one’s needs and willing to speak up on his or her behalf. At the QEH, we encourage you to broach sensitive topics and address your questions and concerns with members of the treatment team. Your voice is incredibly important to us.

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Contacting your relative or friend

We understand that you may want to find out how your friend or relative is. There are many ways you can keep in contact such as; calling the ward, calling your friend or relative directly, sending an email or writing a letter.

Ways you can keep in touch

Calling the ward : You can call the hospital switchboard/PBX and ask for the ward your relative/friend is staying on. If possible, your friend / relative should nominate one person to call the hospital and act as a link for everyone else. This will assist our nursing staff as we care for your relative and other patients. Also, to protect patient confidentiality, only limited information will be provided over the phone.

Writing a letter : You can write to your friend /relative in hospital. Please make sure you address the letter or card with their full name, the name of the ward and the correct address of the hospital.

Important information when visiting a patient

We take cleanliness and infection prevention very seriously, but we need your help to keep our infection rates low. Here is how you can help :

Infectious illnesses – if you know, or think, that you may have an infectious condition, please contact the relevant ward or department before visiting. If you have an infectious condition such as chicken pox, measles, diarrhoea or vomiting it is suggested that you not visit as these infections could pose a risk to patients/staff and others

To reduce the spread of infections we ask you to avoid sitting on hospital beds

Hand washing and hand rubbing is essential. There are sanitizing dispensers at the entrance to each ward. Please utilise these dispensers to clean your hands prior to entering and when leaving the ward. Using the hand sanitizer assists with killing any germs on your hands and reduces the risk of introducing infection to patients, relatives, staff, yourself and others

Flowers – if you wish to bring or send flowers, please check with ward staff first. Flowers are not allowed in some areas of the hospital as the water in vases can be an infection risk

Additional infection control measures – occasionally, patients may be removed from the main ward to be isolated if they are infectious, or susceptible to the transmission of infectious diseases. If this is the case, you must ask nursing staff about any precautions you need to take and whether there are any restrictions to visiting.

Spiritual care

Our multi-faith chapel is opened from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Please note that the use of cell phones and other recording devices are prohibited within the chapel.